Detective camera



5 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. A. SEED. DETECTIVE CAMERA.

No. 436,745. Patented Sept. 16,1890.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. A. SEED.

DETECTIVE CAMERA.

No. 436,745. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M. A. SEED.

. DETECTIVE CAMERA.

No. 136,745. Patented Sept. 16, 1890.

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M. A. SEED. DETECTIVE CAMERA.

Patented Se 12, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

MILES A. SEED, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE M. A. SEED DRY PLATE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DETECTIVE CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,745, dated September 16, 1890.

Application filed May 3, 1889. Serial No. 309,474. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MILES A. SEED, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Detective and other Photo- 5 graphic Cameras, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the construction hitherto generally in use a continuous film is employed. In the use of the camera the film is unwound from [Q one reel and wound upon another reel. The film remains intact, and all the pictures taken are united, and the entire film must be withdrawn as one piece from the camera.

To provide an improved apparatus by means of which the pictures may be more readily taken, by means of which they can be taken and withdrawn separately from the camera, and the work be inspected from time to time as it proceeds is mainly the aim of this im provement. Additional features are a shutter of peculiar construction and a lens adj ustable to longer and shorter focuses, all substan tially as is hereinafter described and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a film and its frame. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the film by itself. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 7. Figs. at and 5 are details, being views illustrating the different positions of the filmholder, discharger and being sections on the line 3 3 of Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a vertical crosssection on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a plan of the camera. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3. Figs. 9 and 10 are details, being sections on the line 3 3 of Fig. 7, and showing, respectively, the springs and the roller-stops at the upper forward end of the magazine. Fig. 11 is a side view of the diaphragm partly unfolded. Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of the projection-bearing arm used in controlling the adjustment of the shutter. The forward end of the arm is shown in section. Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are all sections on the same linenamely, vertical cross-sections on a line between the front end of the camera and the shutter, and respectively showing the movable parts in different positions; and Fig. 18, a horizontal section on the line 18 18 of Fig. 3.

The views are substantially upon the same scale, saving Figs. 1, 2, 11, and 12.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

My improved apparatus is primarily, though not solely, intended for use where each sensitized plate or film is contained in a protecting-holder.

A, Figs. 1 and 8, represents a film-holder 6c which I have devised, and which I prefer to use in connection with the present apparatus.

It is formed, preferably, out of a single piece of metal or other equivalent material. a is the face of the holder, and a, a and a are flanges at the sides and bottom of the holder, and formed by bending the edges of the piece,

so as to form folds adapted to receive the edges of the film 13, Fig. 2, and thereby hold the film while within the camera, and also during more or less of its manipulation. The side folds are open at the top, and the holder between the side folds suitably made to admit the film and enable it to be slipped downward into place in the holder, as shown in Fig. 1. The top edge a of the holder is preferably hemmed, as shown. The film B is preferably a celluloid one.

The camera C, Figs. 3, 7, 8, 13, 14, 16, and 1 7,is mainlydivided into four compartments- So the magazine D, which occupies the upper rear portion of the camera, extending from the rear end 0 of the camera forward to the discharger E and serving to contain the films prior to their use; the operating-chamber F, through which the light passes from the lenstube G to the film being used, and through which the film and holder, after being exposed, drop, and which chamber extends from the position of the discharger forward to the rear end g of the lens-tube; the lens-chamber H at the upper forward part of the camera, and which contains the lens g, lens-tube, and other parts immediately therewith connected, and hereinafter set forth, and the receivingchamber I in the lower portion of the camera, into which the films drop from the operating chamber, and whence they can be withdrawn as desired. All of these compartments are suitably constructed to exclude the light, sav- 10o ing what is admitted through the lens-tube upon the films as they are exposed.

The films to be used are placed in the magazine D, are arranged one behind another therein, with the forward filmin the row presented to the operating-chamber, and so as to be exposed to light admitted through the lenstube, and they are so held and managed in the magazine as to be moved successively forward to the operating-chamber as fast as the forward ones in the row are discharged downward into the receiving-chamber. To this end, as the most desirable method,the magazine has a sliding door cl to provide for. the introduction of the films (held, respectively, in their holders) into themagazine, and ways at d, Figs.,3 and 8, are provided for the support of the film-holders after they have been placed within the magazine, and upon which the film-holders are slid in the direction of the operating-chamber.

d ,Figs. 3 and 8, represents a follower which exerts an elastic pressure upon the row of film-holders, the pressure being produced by means of a spring d one end of which bears against the rear wall cof the magazine or any suitable shoulder and the other end thereof against the follower. To admit the films into the magazine, the follower is pressed backward in the magazine until there is space for the films in the front of the follower. To facilitate the adjustment of the followerin this respect, a cord 01 is attached to the follower and extended thence rearwardly and through the wall 0, and its outer end (1 is wound upon a button d, Figs. 3 and 8. By rotating the button the cord is wound upon it, and the follower and spring thereby pressed backward in the magazine and held at the desired point therein. The films and their holders are then placed in front of the follower and-the cord released from the button, whereupon the spring expands and causes the parts to assume the position shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The doordis now supposed to be closed, and the opening in the wall 0 being, in practice, suflicient only for the passage of the cord d no light can enter the magazine. The row of films and holders is thus pressed forward until the foremost filmholder at its lower end encounters the discharger E and at its upper end presses against one or more springs d Fig. 3. The upper front corner of the film-holder also encounters stops, preferably in the form of frictional rollers d*, which are suitablyjournaled in the roof of the camera or other fixture, so as to hold the film-holder back until it is to be discharged, and then to facilitate the discharge of the film-holder whenever its discharge is desired. The springs d are contrived to exert an elastic pressure downward upon the foremost film-holder as it rests upon the discharger E. This last-named part in its most desirable form is substantially .a shaft 2, having two flanges e and e and means for rotatingit forward and backward. It extends acrossthecamera,Figs. 3,4,5,and6,andis journaled in the side walls 0' 0' thereof, and it is at a suitable level to receive the foremost filmholder between its flanges e 6 when the shaft 6" is in the position shown substantially in Fig. 3. In this position the film-holder rests upon the flange e, and its front is against the flange 6 The shaft e is provided with a crank 6 Figs. 3 and ,8, by means of which the shaft can be rotated to discharge the filmholder and film, and at 6, Fig. 6, is shown a spring whose function it is to restore the shaft into the position of Fig. 3 whenever the crank e is released. r

The operation of the camera as thus far described is as follows: Let the parts be arranged as in Fig. 3 and the foremost film be exposed to take a picture. After taking the picture the lens is covered in the usual'manner to exclude the light from the operating chamber. The film and its holder are then as one part discharged from the magazine through the operating-chamber into the receiving-chamber I. To effect this, the discharger E is operated by means of a cord e Fig. 3, leading downward through the bottom so as to be conveniently reached, the operator is enabled to rotate the crank 6 This causes the shaft 6 to turn in its bearings and its flange e to lift the film-holder, as indicated substantially in Fig. 4. The springs d yield as the film-holder is pressed upward against them. The film-holder continues to be thus upheld until the shaft e has been rotated sufficiently for the flange e to be inclined downward and theflange e to point toward the operatingchamber, substantially as indicated in Fig. 5. The film-holder at its lower end is now free, and it slips from off the disoharger and drops toward the receiving-chamber. Its downward movement is hastened by reason ofthe action of the springs 01 which, after aiding in steadying the filmholder during the taking of the picture, now serve to press it downward and to expedite its descent. The rollers d rotate as the filmholder in its described movement is rubbed against them. Instead of allowing the holder to drop directly into the receiving-chamber, it is desirable for it to be dropped first onto a flexible flap J, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 8, which serves to cushion the film-holder as it' falls to form a chute inclining downward toward the receiving-chamber to enable the film-holder to be delivered horizontally'into the receiving-chamber and to form a Valve, which, after the film-holder shall have passed the flap, rises and closesthe outlet f, Figs. 3 and 4, from the operating-chamber and prevents the admission of light through the outlet to the operating-chamber. In Fig. 3 the flap is in position to close the outlet f. In Fig. 4 the outlet is still closed. In Fig. 5 the outlet is opened and the flap is serving as a chute to direct the descent of a film-holder into the receiving-chamber. The film-holders, containing their respective films, assume the form of a pile in the receiving-chamber, as indicated in Fig. 3. The receivingchamber is provided IIC with a suitable door z'to enable the film-holders and films to be withdrawn from the receiving-chamber, as desired. The rotation of the crank e and shaft 6 is limited by suitable stops e 6 Figs. 3,4, and 5. As the discharger is rotated back again into the position of Fig. 3 its flange e presses the film-holder next to it (and with that film-holder those in the rear thereof) far enough back in the magazine to enable the point of the flange to pass beneath the film-holder, whereupon the film-holder at its lower end slips forward above the flange e and into the position of Fig. 3. To this end the flange e is rounded at the back, substantially as shown. The film-holders and their films are thus successively used and shifted one by one from the magazine to the operating-chamber, and thence into the receivingchamber until the magazine is exhausted, whereupon the magazine is refilled with filmholders and films and the operation repeated.

The device as thus far described may be operated with any ordinary lens and lenstube. It is better, however, for the camera to be adaptable to focuses of longer or shorter lengths. To this end the lens-tube G, Figs. 3 and 8, carrying the lens g, is made adjustable forward and backward in the camera. This, in the present instance, is carried out byholding the lens-tube in a sleeve g which, in turn, is secured to the partition g which forms the rear wall of the lens-chamber H. By means of the lever g, pivoted at g to some fixturesuoh as the side of the cameraand having its free end g extending through a slot g in the opposite side of the camera and connected with a pin g which extends from the lever through a slot 9 in the sleeve to connect with the lens-tube, the lens-tube can, within certain suitable limits for the purpose named, be shifted longitudinally toward and from the operating-chan'iber. Any suitable means maybe adopted by which the operator is enabled to know how far the lever end 9 shall be moved to adjust the lens to any predetermined focus. The lever is slotted at g to provide for the movement of the pin 9 in the lever as the lens-tube is adjusted. The lens-chamber has a lid h to provide access to the chamber.

K, Fig. 11, represents an adjustable dia phragm used in connection with the lens-tube and lens. It is a series of leaves 70, each having a diaphragm-opening it, but the openings in the respective leaves being of different diameters. The leaves are pivoted together at to enable them to be handled as one piece. lYhen a certain diaphragm is needed, the leaf is having that opening is inserted in the slit 70 Fig. 3, in the lens-tube, so as to bring the opening It" into coincidence with the lens, and the diaphragm is changed by withdrawing the leaf that is in the slit and inserting another leaf having the desired opening. Those of the leaves It for the time being not in use in the lens tube constitutea handle, by which the leaf in use is manipulated. The leaves can be folded into a compact form.

The camera is rendered more complete by the embodiment therein of a shutter L of peculiar construction, for an understanding of which reference is made to Figs. 3, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The shutter is arranged between the forward end of the lenstube and the forward end of the camera. It is mainly a circular plate having openings l, through which the light is admitted to the lens-tube, and intermediate imperforate portions 1', which shut out'the light. The plate is hung upon a shaft 1 which is j ournaled in bearings l hen the plate is rotated, its openings Z I and portions Z are successively moved past the lens-opening g in the front wall of the camera and between it and the lens-tube. Its motion is produced by means of a coil-sprin g Z", Fig. 3, one end of which is fastened to the shaft Z and the other end to the plate or to some part, such as the case Z attached to the plate. The shaft is provided with a knob Z, by means of which the shaft can be rotated in its bearings and the spring Z thereby wound, during which operation the plate is held stationary. The shaft is provided with a ratchet 1 which coacts with a fixed pawl Z to prevent the shaft Z from turning backward when the knob is released. The spring being wound and the shaft prevented from turning backward, as described, the spring acts to effect the rotation of the plate whenever that part is released. To enable the rotation to be effected so as to produce either a flash or a time exposure, as may be wished, the following means are preferably adopted: The plate L is provided with two sets of laterally-extended projections, one set being designed for use in producing both flash and time exposures, and the other set in producing time exposures.

These projections maybe in the form of pins.

M M represent one set of the pins-say those used in both flash and time exposures-and N N represent the set of pins used in time exposures. The pins M M are set a certain radial distance from the center of the plate, and when the plate rotates the orbit of the pins M M may be represented by the broken line m. The pins N N are set a certain shorter radial distance from the center of the plate, and their orbit may be represented by the broken line a. The pins M M and the pins N N are upon different radial lines. The pins M M are designed to co-operate with a stop or a system of stops to the end that the plate may be held at rest ina position in which an imperforate portion of the plate shall exclude the light from the lens-tube, then released and allowed to rotate to carry an opening Zpast the lens-opening g and lens-tube, and thereby momentarily admit light to the lens-tube and then be arrested again in its rotation when an imperforate portion Z of the plate is in position to exclude the light.

The pins N N are designed to co-operate with a stop or a system of stops, whereby the 7 plate can be' released and allowed to rotate until one of its openings Z is brought into coincidence with the lens-opening and lenstube, and then be arrested in its rotation for an indefinite period of time to suit the purposes of the operator in obtaining a time exposure. To these ends the sets M M and N N may each be composed of a suitable number of pins, and the pins M M N N may be suitably relatively arranged upon the plate, and also suitably arranged with reference to. the openings Z and portions 1, and the shutter may have any suitable number of openings Z and portions 1, and the stops or systems of stops referred to may be correspondingly and suitably relatively constructed and arranged; but what I consider the best way is the one exhibited in the drawings. The pins M M are respectively arranged opposite the imperforate portions Z, and the pins N N, respectively, opposite the openings l. Two openingsl and two imperforate portions Z are shown; and the stop or escapement device is as follows: 0, Figs. 3, 12, 13,14, 15,16, and 17, is an arm,which at its end 0 is pivoted to a fixed bearing0,andwhoseother endo is freeto be moved upward and downward suiiiciently to effect its purpose. At its end 0 the arm is extended upward at 0 and the extension in turnis provided with four lateral projections P P and Q Q, substantially asis representedin Fig. 12. The projections P P project into the orbit of the pins M M or into the orbit of the pins NN, according to the adjustment of the arm 0, as presently described. The projection P is spaced laterally from the projection P sufficiently for a pin M M to pass between them, and it is also spaced vertically sufficientlybelow the level of the projection 'P for a pin to pass above it, substantially as shown. The

projections Q Q are respectively spaced beneath the projections P P, substantially as shown. By means of the push-pin R, Figs. 13,

14,15, 16,and 17, the free end of the arm 0 can be raised, and by means of the spring S the free end of the arm 0 is depressed whenever it is released. S uppose a flash exposure is desired. Assume the parts to be as represented in Fig. 16. The pin M is against the projection P, and the plate, by reason of the action of the coilspring above described, tends to rotate on the shaft Z in the direction indicated by the arrow X, Figs. 16 and 17. By means of the push-pin R the arm 0 can be and is raised from the position of Fig. 16 into that of Fig. 17. This causes'the projection P to be removed from in front of the pin M, whereupon the shutter counters the projection P. In either eventthe shutteris held substantially in the position of Fig. 17, with an imperforate portion thereof in position to exclude the light from the lenstube. For another flash exposure the push pin (which between exposures is allowed to drop) is again raised, and the projectionP is permanently upheld, so as to bring the projections P P into the orbit of the pins N'N. For this purpose a wedge T, Figs. 3, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, is used. By means of the bellcrank lever 15, Fig. 18, or other suitable means, this wedge is adapted to be withdrawn from beneath the arm end 0 Figs. 16 and 17, or to be wedged beneath the arm end 0 Figs. 13 and 11. When the arm end 0 is thus wedged up and the pushpin is depressed, as in Figs. 13 and 14, the projection P is in the orbit of the pins N N, and the shutter is held lens-opening and lens-tube, and the light is admitted. If the push-pin is raised, as in Fig. 15, the projection P is brought into the orbit of the pins N N and serves to arrest the rotation of the shutter. In this manner the exposure can be prolonged to any extent. When it is desired to terminate a time exposure, the push-pinis operated to enable the pin N or N to be worked past the projections P P, whereupon the shutter rotates again. The shutter would now be carried around so as to cause anotherof its openings lto come opposite the lens-opening but for the projections Q and Q, one of which, according to the position of the push-pin, being in the orbit of the pins M M, and thereby causing the arrest of the rotation of the shutter in its position shown in Fig. 13t-hat is, with an imperforate portion Z opposite the lens-opening. By operating the push -pin again the pin M or M is released and another time-exposure position of the shutter obtained. By withdrawing the wedge from beneath the arm'end 0 the parts are readjusted for flash exposures. But one-half of the arm 0 is shown in Fig. 12. In practice it is better to make this part double, as shown in Fig. 3-that is, the arm is forked and receives the shutter between its forks, and each fork has an extension 0 having the projections P P Q Q, and the pins M M N N project from both sides of the shutter.

with one of its openingsl in line with the I IIO The openings Z Z and the imperforated portion of a magazine, a rotary discharger atthe v lower part of the front of said magazine, provided with a supporting-shoulder for the fi'lm holders and an upstanding shoulder to rest against the face of the adjacent film, and a yielding stop at the upper part of the front of the magazine Vertically above the discharger, substantially as specified.

2. A photograph-camera having the magazine, the discharger, the springs d and the rollers d substantially as described.

3. A photograph-camera having the magazine, the follower, the discharger, the springs (1 and the rollers d, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the magazine, the follower, the spring d, the cord (1*, and the button d substantially as described.

5. The camera having the magazine, the operating chamber, the receivingchamber, and the flap J, substantially as described.

6. In a photographic camera, the combinacrank, and the stops 6 6 substantially as 0 described.

Witness my hand this 26th April, 1889.

MILES A. SEED. WVitnesses:

G. D. MOODY, B. F. REX. 

